Getting Sleepy After Eating

Too many opinions on why people get excessively sleepy after eating. How about checking with your physician for the reason. Everyone experiences different symptoms. No two people are the same.

It may be normal for some people to feel sleepy after meals, but that's not the case for everybody.  It's something that has started happening to me only quite recently.  Often I become excessively hot as well.  Might the combined symptoms means that the body is having to struggle to digest, for some reason? 

 

loved how you worked through this, and I concur. There is one question that remains--age appears to be a factor--both babies and the elderly appear more susceptible. My husband nods off after every meal and is 17 years older than me, I do get sleepy after eating a large meal (if I keep to a light, small, meal it does not occur, but have found that I have more trouble as I have aged. Maybe I have more trouble keeping to a meal proportionate to need rather than trying a bit of everything in front of me? I just think the size of the meal and age also appear to contribute

I don't get this orexin neurotransmitter yet, but the main key to the sleepiness is gotta be serotonin being converted directly to melatonin for some reason - boredom, or sleep debt, idk.  Question is whether its healthier to fight the sleepiness (like many of us have learned to do starting in High School) - to avoid high blood glucose during the night - by using it up physically, or mentally (like I'm doing right now thinking about this question).  Or, if it's caused by a sleep debt that we have to repay to our bodies (note to self: buy some melatonin); a sleep debt caused by fighting sleepiness in the past.   But idk, I like dreaming though, so I think I'll go hit the hay right now and maybe burn off the excess glucose that way.  'Nite all, lol, zzzz

It is not normal to be so sleepy that you are afraid to drive. I know because it happens to me. It is a very hypo thyroid. All the energy of your body is being used to digest food instead of dispersed to digest it. You should still have enough energy to continue your every day life and not fall asleep at your desk or anywhere else everytime you eat. Go to the doctor and have your thyroid tested.

Maybe in your case, it is the carbohydrate load in your meal of cereal (Wheat-Bix). Consider a breakfast with more protein that will give you energy and have your carbohydrate meal in the evening 2-3 hours before bedtime. O have also found that smaller meals throughout the day helps. It is good to follow the conventional wisdom that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Protein gives sustained energy and "brain food" for concentration. Carbohydrate loading may work for short term energy if you will burn it off quickly (like for athletes: runners or bike riders), but for others who will not be using it up quickly, there is the rebound effect of triggering too much insulin into your system which cause the low energy later.

I would say it is not normal. I have dealt with it off and on over the years and personally I have deduced it happens when your body is not digesting food efficiently and is expending too much energy on digestion. Ideally, you would get a boost of energy from a good meal if your body is digesting well. While fighting Candida or flare-ups of IBS is when I feel tired after eating. When I've got things under control I have no such sleepiness. I would suggest focusing on your digestion. Basics starting points are a good probiotic and a good quad action digestive enzyme. Enzymes help a bunch by taking the digestion load off a poorly functioning digestive system. Also look into Candida infection.

Hey,

 

I was feeling too sleepy after taking lunch today and I searched google to find any antidote...then I found this forum as the second link and I read all the topics... believe me I am not sleepy anymore... So... my solution is to read something interesting for 10 minutes and get back to work! Simple....

 

 

Gourab.......I am glad that you found a quick solution to your sleepliness wish it was that easy for the rest of us. It take most of our energy to "fight" to stay awake that there is none left over for anything. I almost feel like you are making fun of a real issue that many of us have. I hope you never feel like I do day in and day out and doctors don't know what is wrong with you, it's sinking feeling thats for sure.

Scarlet, How is your digestion? Just curious if you have digestion problems as well as fatigue after eating? You are correct that it can be an insidious malady. Its depressing to have plans for your day and then get a feeling of overwhelming sleepiness just because you had lunch.

If I had to eat that 'Card board box' I'd stay awake also!! I think some answers in here are very good...yet the 'exercise answers are not a typical good answer'....it's a know fact 'Don't go swimming after you eat...sit or lie still ..or...wait at least 30 minutes'... ..that is 'exercise also....thank you all for the other answers it's very helpful....perhaps as one gets older their' inclined to sleep (snooze) after eating...like many I've seen over the years the Older folks'...the best answer in here is 'Go see your Doctor and have him or she to check you out medically ''then enjoy the nap'' or if you're a Cardboard eater with Goat Cheese enjoy (smile)

I recently read about ketosis, whereby the body gets energy from stored fat. Being very active, energy from carbs maybe used up before the next meal and the body is running off stored fat (that's why you are so lean?). When you eat the body switches from burning stored fat for energy, to burning the carbs you just ate for its energy. Could this period of transition cause the sleepiness?

52 Year Old Female. I become so exhausted after eating that I literally have trouble functioning at all. I think that I actually doze while sitting at my desk. It doesn't seem to matter what I eat. As such, I am avoiding food until I am able to lay down afterwards. Because I am diabetic, I check my sugar level to see if this is the problem - sugar levels have been pretty good 5.2 to 6.3 - considering. However, my blood pressure seems a bit low for someone who does very little exercise (95/54) and lately, my pulse rate (normally 60 - 65) has had incidences of going down in the low 50s and high 40s. If I don't eat, until I am able to sleep, I can go all day feeling fine, have lots of energy and can get done what I need to do - like work for a living:). This is not a good practice, I know, but for now it is what I have to do. I have had all kinds of blood and urine tests done, scan of my brain, EKG, and xrays. Everything is showing up normal with the exception that my bad cholesterol and good cholesterol are on the wrong ends of the spectrum. Any suggestions would be helpful.

If a person is eating a relatively balanced meal and experiencing excessive sleepiness on a chronic basis. It is NOT normal!! Nor is the person being lazy. The body is sending signals that something is not functioning properly. Not everyone is a couch potato making such a generalized statement is a testament to ignorance. It could be a signal of insulin resistance, hormonal imbalance, diabetes, cortisol issues, malabsorption. It is best to see a specialist in endocrinology and do your own research. Because not all specialist are as knowledgable as that would like you to believe. Your primary care doctor generally knows less. Listen to your body. Its not a one size fits all diagnosis. If someone tells you its normal for it to be occurring on a regular basis is an id**t.

In continuing to my post, if a doctor blows your symptoms off find yourself another doctor. You may have to go and get a second and third etc.. opinion. Don't stop until you have a firm diagnosis and don't be so willing to go on pills unless its diabetes. No prescription or drug cures anything none! All it does is mask your symptoms and causes something else in your body to go wrong. That my friend has come from the medical establishment itself. You only have one life the only one who has the most to lose is you. Take care of you. I hope you find your answer. If it makes you feel any better, I too suffer from the same symptoms. Its definitely metabolic. started out as malabsorption due to gastrointestinal issues, and a tumor started out as non diabetic non reactive hypoglycemia which can cause unawareness, blackouts , seizures , coma and death. For some of us it turns into full blow diabetes. Please seek professional help.